Traction weight shield



Aug. 16, 1960 J. E. LEE 2,949,110

TRACTION WEIGHT SHIELD Filed April 8, 1959 20 2/ w 20 I, l r /7 i 1 I i 0 4 3 a i i l/oJe ofi E. Lee I 1 INVENTOR. I I ,4

Arra/wsr l I l TRACTION WEIGHT SHIELD Joseph E. Lee, Houston, Tex., assiguor of one-third to T. T. Peck, Jr., Baytown, Tex.

Filed Apr. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 804,966

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-75) This invention relates to surgical apparatus employed body for which such treatment is required, and more particularly to shield or guard for the traction weights em- -.ployed in such treatment.

Traction is normally applied to a portion of a patients body, most commonly the leg, by means of weights suspended from a cord or wire line which is trained over a p'ulleyand secured to that portion of the patients body 'ich is to be held in traction. Conventionally, the :pu'j-leyr is" supported from an elevated bracket and the ieights' are suspended therefrom so that they hang freely ftlie. oped}. In such arrangements, the weights are subbumping or other contact by persons moving V fth'e'v'icinity of the patient with attendant pain and possible injury to the patient.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an effective form of protective shield for enclosing the suspended traction weights.

A further object is to provide a traction weight shield which also provides support for the pulley over which the traction Weight suspending line is trained.

An additional object is the provision of a traction weight shield including relatively simple fixtures by which the shield is easily connectible to, and releasable from, a supporting frame.

A more specific object is to provide a traction weight shield which includes a fully closed tubular body adapted to enclose traction weights and having its upper end sloped or cut away at an angle to its longitudinal axis, and further provided with a pulley-supporting shaft mounted transversely of the angular opening through which the traction in line is led, the body having a pair of brackets at its upper and lower ends for securing the shield to a supporting frame. I Other and more specific objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the I following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates one useful embodiment in accordance with this invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the device in accordance with this invention may be mounted on a hospital bed or the like;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the traction weight shield; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the shield.

Referring to the drawing, the shield comprises a hollow tubular body 10 having a bore 11, which may be constructed of metal or rigid plastic, or any other material which is of generally rigid character. Body 10 is closed throughout its length in order to furnish a maximum degree of protection for traction weights 12, indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1.

The upper end 13 of body 10 is cut or otherwise formed to slope at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body to thereby provide the angular opening 14 at in applying traction to a portion of a patients' United States Patent lower end of theopening may be termed the forward end, while the upper end is termed the rearward end. Mounted transversely of the open end is a shaft 15, which may be in the form of a bolt extending through suitable openings 17 and 18 provided at diametrically opposite points in the wall of body 10 adjacent the edge of opening 14 and at the mid-point of the opening. Bolt 15 may be provided with a head 19 and a threaded end 20 carrying a wing nut 21, by which the bolt may be tightly secured. to the body. A grooved pulley 22, of any conventional form, is mounted in the center of shaft 15 and is adapted to receive -a line 23 (Fig. l) which is trained over pulley 22 and leads into bore 11 of body 10, and supports at its inner end the traction weights 12. 'It will be understood that bore 11 of body 10 is dimensioned to allow free vertical movement of traction weights 12, as may be required in application of traction to the patient. A pair of elongate rectangular straps 2424, preferably constructed of metal, are secured to the opposite ends of body 19 at its rearward side along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. Each of the straps 2424 projects beyond its respective end of the body and the projecting ends 25--25 are each provided with a cooperating U-bolt 26, the ends of which extend through suitably spaced openings in the straps and are fitted with wing nuts 2727. By means of the U-bolts, the shield may be secured rigidly to a suitable upright frame 23, carrying the horizontal members 29- 29, about which the U-bolts may be secured. Frame 28 may be of any conventional form adapted to be mounted on the bedrail 30, or other suitable part of a hospital bed or the like.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the tubular shield constructed in accordance with this invention, provides a complete closure for the traction weights so as to effectively shield the later against any possible contact by persons moving in the vicinity of the patients bed.

While the shape of the shield is preferably circular in cross-section, as illustrated, it is obvious that it may be non-circular; for example, square or hexagonal, depend-' ing upon the shape of the traction weights which are to be enclosed thereby.

The lower end of body 10 is left open so that, if de- 7 line to prevent abrasion or undue wear thereof due to any movements of the traction weights which may occur.

It will be understood that various alterations and modifications may be made in the details of the illustrative embodiment within the scope of the appended claims,

but without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

shaft mounted on the body transversely of said open upper end at the mid-point thereof, a pulley mounted in the center of the shaft receiving a traction weight-supporting line extending through said open end into the bore of the body, said traction weight supporting line having one end connected to said traction weights, and a pair of mounting fixtures secured to the opposite ends 1. A shield for traction weights, comprising, an elon- 2,949,110 3 4 of said body for securing said shield to a supporting References Cited in the file of this patent frame, said mounting fixtures comprising elongate straps extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body UNITE D STATES PATENTS and projecting beyond the ends thereof, and U-bolts 2,633,125 Y llin Mar 31, 1953 separably secured to the projecting ends of said straps- 5 2,714,885 Uhland Aug. 9, 1955 2. A shield for traction weights according to claim 1 2,886,030 Maudsley et a1. May 12, 1959 wherein said body is circular in cross-section. 

